abutterfly

Hi All, Banded on Jan 21 and I've lost 22 lbs! Okay, had one week clear, one week mushy and 2 weeks pureed - 3 oz, 5 x per day. Now, I'm supposed to start on real food. Guidelines are 1 cup ,3 x day and 1/2 Protein bar for a snack. I made some high protein Soups today to last through the week but I'm looking for more choices. Any suggestions? And, is this keeping with the "normal" food plan most people are given? Can I smush a piece of pizza into a cup? HA! Thanks!

Hi All, Banded on Jan 21 and I've lost 22 lbs! Okay, had one week clear, one week mushy and 2 weeks pureed - 3 oz, 5 x per day. Now, I'm supposed to start on real food. Guidelines are 1 cup ,3 x day and 1/2 Protein bar for a snack. I made some high protein Soups today to last through the week but I'm looking for more choices. Any suggestions? And, is this keeping with the "normal" food plan most people are given? Can I smush a piece of pizza into a cup? HA! Thanks!

Yup, it's true. I was very awake when they transferred me to the OR table. This very large "bean bag" lies under your butt, so your pelvis is higher than the rest of your body. I can't say that it was comfortable, but I was only awake for about five minutes before they put me under. It was really no biggie. Don't sweat it. Hope this helps!

Hi All, Banded last Monday. Did a bowel prep the night before - YUCK!, followed Clear liquids for 4 days, full liquids for 2, and today on to pureed foods. Should have been clear for 7, full liquid for 7, and pureed starting the 3rd week. I am not doing this out of hunger. Several days ago, I began to get weak and dizzy. Yesterday, my doc told me to make sure I drink ALOT, so I drank 120 oz of Water Sat. No better today, so I called him again. He still said I'm dehydrated (and told me to start sipping Pedialyte, or he could bring me into the ER and I could have IV fluids). Starting the Pedialyte a couple of hours ago. It didn't help. So, my next meal was pureed chicken and I must say that I feel a bit better. I have a gut feeling that this has nothing to do with dehydration but from lack of food. Has anyone else felt totally full, but weak and light-headed? I'm supposed to go back to work in a week and I'm starting to freak out that I won't be able to - I also have a three year old to take care of. Thanks so much for listening!

Dying on the table is my #1 fear. But, this is how I look at it. I'm getting banded on January 21. With the weight I'm at now, chances are I'm going to end up in the hospital on the OR table in a emergency-type situation due to a heart attack or stroke or, a controlled situation like having the band placed. I'm definately picking the controlled situation with the surgeon that knows me well and a team of people ready to take care of a bariatric patient. Hope this helps.

Hi All, Getting banded on Jan 21, need to be on Clear Liquids for the first week with 60 grams of Protein a day. Of course, the nutritionist is recommending Isopure. I have been told that grape is the best flavor. Anybody have any tricks to make Isopure more palatable? Any other ideas for the first week? I can't eat or drink anything with aspartame (Nutrisweet) in it because it gives me stomach problems. Any advise to make the first week easier would be most appreciated! Thanks!

I'm having so many mixed feelings. I have a tenative date set for January. In early October, when I went in for my initial consultation with the surgeon, I felt like he was trying to change my mind from lapband to RNY. I have around 200 lbs to lose and he said that he didn't want me to get discouraged. That with RNY, the pounds "melt off" people. I told him that I wasn't interested in RNY, I don't care about the pounds melting off, I just want consistent weight loss for once in my life. On the other hand, the nurse that runs the program told me that after two years people that did RNY didn't lose any more weight than people that do the lap band. I guess the difference is only in the first year. She totally supported my decision. His words keep ringing in my ears and I'm starting to wonder if I should just have the RNY. I know most people that get banded don't need to lose as much as me, but maybe if more of us bigger loosers chose the band instead of RNY, opinions would change. Just wanted some opinions. I'm also worried that I'll still be ravenous after surgery. I read so many posts with people talking about still being so hungry. This makes me really concerned, I know at the beginning I probably won't have much of an appetite, and I understand that as time goes on the feeling of satisfaction won't be as strong, but I certainly want to notice a change over what I have now, or what's the point? Or, am I missing the point? Thanks for listening, I'm just really confused right now which I suppose is normal. Thanks.

Hello there! Getting banded in January. I've read many posts about hunger...Can someone give me the "detailed" version of hunger? Like is it a "gotta eat something now or I'm gonna pass-out" or a bored type of "emotional hunger"? If it is emotional, how do you get past it? The more details you can give me the better. Thanks!

Hi All, My tenative date is January 21!!! I'm excited, but now have more questions than ever. It seems like a lot of posts lately have been talking about intense pain post op and feeling hungry. I can handle the pain, but if I'm going to do this I don't want to be hungry!!! Question: I live on a 2nd floor condo. Did anyone have to deal with stairs immediately post op and if so, how much did it hurt? Also, when you say you were really hungry before your first fill, was it like low sugar "gotta eat something now or I'm going to faint" hungry, or just wanting to eat hungry? How much time did everyone take off of work? I have a desk job and would like to go back in one week, if possible. Any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Hi, I went for a consultation with the lap band surgeon. Since my BMI is slightly over 50, he wants a vascular surgeon to insert a vena cava filter two weeks before my surgery so I won't have the risk of a blood clot traveling to my heart post surgery. Has anyone else had this done? What was the procedure like? I'm going for a consultation for the filter next week. Thanks!

Thanks, everyone for your posts. I am going to take the first step and make an appointment with my family doc to talk about the lap band. I'll keep reading your posts and researching and I'll let you all know how it goes! I'm ready for the hard work and I'm ready to use the lap band as a tool to aide my weight loss!

Hi There, I cannot believe I just registered. Is this real? I have many questions and if anybody has the time I'd really appreciate some answers. I work at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch. I have been married for 20 years and we have a three year old daughter. I do not know how much I weigh. The last time I was weighed at the doctor, it was over 350lbs. I have got to do something. I'm scared of doing something too drastic like a bypass. That's why I'm interested in the band. I've been thinking about it for a while, I'm just getting the guts up to research it now. In the little research I have done, it looks like Dr Borao is the way to go for me. He's at the same hospital I work at. Now, does anyone know if St. Barnabus insurance pays for this? If not, how do you afford it. I know that I have no choice at this point but to figure out a way but that's scary in itself. Has anyone here used Dr. Borao? And, how long is the "wait" that I've read about? Thanks everyone I hope to get to know you all much better! I need some hands to hold!